PandyaIndian, Gujarati Derived from Sanskrit पण्डा (panda) meaning "wisdom, knowledge, learning".
PaneItalian, Corsican Means "bread" in Italian, a metonymic occupational name for a baker, or a a nickname or given name (medieval Panis, Panellus) figuratively meaning "good as bread, good thing".
PanebiancoItalian Means "white bread", from Italian pane "bread" and bianco "white", an occupational name for a baker who worked with high quality breads, or in some cases perhaps a nickname for someone of good character.
PanellaItalian From the name of a kind of fritter or pancake made with chickpea powder. Could be an occupational name for a baker, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a yellowish complexion. Alternatively, can be a diminutive form of Pane.
PanenkaCzech From Czech meaning "doll". Perhaps a nickname for a petite person.
PannekoekDutch Means "pancake" in Dutch, possibly a nickname for someone who made or liked to eat pancake. Alternatively, it could derive from a place name, such as an inn or field named for pancakes.
PanykUkrainian From the title пан (pan), to show a respected male (similar to "mister"). Extremely rare surname with 61 bearers in Ukraine (2013 data).
PanzeriItalian Either a nickname from Italian pancia "belly, paunch", referring to someone with a prominent belly (see Panza), or an occupational name for someone who manufactured girdles and armour, from panciere "corset, girdle; paunce (armour covering the belly)", ultimately from the same root.
PanzicaItalian From Sicilian panzicu "pot-bellied, paunch".
PapazoglouGreek Means "son of the priest", derived from the Greek παπάς (papás) meaning "priest" combined with the Turkish oğlu or oğul meaning "son, descendant".
PapinFrench Either from Old French papin "pap (for kids)" a noun derivative of paper "to munch or eat" (from Late Latin pappare in origin a nursery word) as a nickname probably referring to a glutton... [more]
PappalardoItalian Means "glutton, hypocrite" in Italian, originally a nickname for a gluttonous person or someone who pretended to observe religious fasts while eating meat in secret.
ParPortuguese Derived from Portuguese meaning "pair, couple, equal".
ParamarIndian, Gujarati Means "one who strikes the enemy" from Sanskrit पर (para) meaning "other, alien, foreigner, enemy" and मार (mā́ra) meaning "killing, slaying, destroying".
ParamoreFrench (Rare) origin is unknown but the meaning of the name is lover used in France and England
ParataMaori From a transliteration of the English word "brother" or "brothers".
ParlettiItalian (Rare) It is a surname of Italian origin, believed to mean "talkative", although few have this surname. Approximately 11 people bear this surname.
ParmarIndian, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Hindi Derived from Sanskrit परमार (paramara) meaning "slayer of enemies", from पर (para) meaning "enemy, adversary" and मार (mara) meaning "killing, slaying, destroying".
ParsiPersian, Indian (Parsi) Derived from Persian پارسی (pârsi) literally meaning "Persian", though it also refers to the Parsi (or Parsee), a Zoroastrian community in India.
ParsonEnglish Means "priest, cleric, minister" in English, either an occupational name for someone who worked for a parson, a nickname for someone considered particularly pious, or perhaps given to illegitimate children of a priest.
PashaAlbanian, Ottoman Turkish (Anglicized), Turkish (Anglicized) Pasha or pascha (Ottoman Turkish: پاشا, Turkish: paşa), formerly anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries and others... [more]
PashaeiPersian From the Ottoman title pasha, which was used by high-ranking military officers.
PasquaFrench Derived from Pasqua, a nickname for a person born during Easter (which itself is derived from Latin pascua). Famous beaters include Charles Victor Pasqua (1927-2015), a French businessman and a Gaullist politician.
PasseFrench Possibly a nickname from passe 'sparrow
PasseleweMedieval English The medieval name is from Old French passe(r) ‘to pass or cross’ + l’ewe ‘the water’, hence a nickname, probably for a ferryman or a merchant who was in the habit of traveling overseas, or else someone who had been on a pilgrimage or crusade.
PassmoreEnglish Either (i) from a medieval nickname for someone who crossed marshy moorland (e.g. who lived on the opposite side of a moor, or who knew the safe paths across it); or (ii) perhaps from an alteration of Passemer, literally "cross-sea", an Anglo-Norman nickname for a seafarer... [more]
PaterDutch, German, English, Polish From Latin pater "father", used as a religious title for a priest in Roman Catholicism. Possibly used semi-literally for a man who worked in the church, or figuratively for a solemn or pompous man.
PateraCzech Nickname for the illegitimate son of a priest.
PaternoItalian From any of several locations called Paterno or Paterna in Italy, which can derive from Latin patere "open", or from the Roman cognomen Paternus "paternal, fatherly".
PathanIndian (Muslim), Bengali, Urdu, Pashto Derived from Hindustani पठान (paṭhān) meaning "a Pashtun (person)", referring to the Pashtun ethnic group inhabiting present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is sometimes used by Pashtuns who ancestrally migrated to India.
PathirajaSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit पति (pati) meaning "husband, lord" and राज (raja) meaning "king".
PathiranaSinhalese Possibly from a title derived from Sanskrit पति (pati) meaning "husband, lord" and राणा (rana) meaning "king".
PatiñoSpanish, Galician From a diminutive of Spanish or Galician pato meaning "duck", used as a nickname for a person who waddled.
PätsEstonian Päts is an Estonian surname meaning "pone" or "loaf".
PattaItalian Possibly from patta "draw, settlement", perhaps a nickname given to a negotiator. The same term can also mean "heat, warmth of the hearth".
PauwDutch, Flemish Means "peacock" in Dutch. Could be a habitational name from a sign depicting a peacock, or a nickname for a proud or flamboyant person. In some cases, it can be a shortened form of the patronymic Pauwels "son of Paul".
PávekmCzech Diminutive of páv "peacock", hence a nickname for a pretentious or ostentatious person.
PaytasHungarian, English (American) From the Hungarian nickname pajtás meaning "comrade, pal". Possibly originates from the Ottoman Turkish word پایداش (paydaş) meaning "partner, sharer". A notable bearer of the surname is the American YouTuber Trisha Paytas.
PaytonIrish Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Peatáin "descendant of Peatán.
PaznyakBelarusian Means "late one", from Belarusian пазней (pazniej), meaning "late".
PazziItalian From Italian pazzo "crazy, insane, mad".
PeabodyEnglish, Popular Culture From a nickname for someone who was haughty or dressed ostentatiously, from Middle English po "peacock, peafowl", and bodi "body" (see Peacock). Famous bearers of the name were American banker and philanthropist George Foster Peabody (1852-1932) and Mr... [more]
PecchiaItalian Means "bee" in Italian, probably a nickname for a hard-working or industrious person.
PeinadoSpanish Derived from peinado meaning "combed" (past participle of peinar meaning "to comb"), hence a nickname for a well-groomed person or for someone with naturally smooth rather than curly hair.
PelagattiItalian Probably derives from an old expression meaning "cheat, scoundrel", literally a combination of pela "to skin" and gatti "cats".
PeledJewish Derived from Hebrew פלדה (plada) meaning "steel".
PelekanosGreek Means woodpecker" from Greek pelekanos "green woodpecker" (cognate with pelekan "pelican"; both come from pelekys "axe" the pelican because its beak is shaped like an axe the woodpecker because it uses its beak like an axe).
PelleItalian Means "skin, hide; leather" in Italian, an occupational name for a tanner, or a nickname for someone with notable skin.
PellegrinFrench Unknown. Possibly a variant of Pellegrino. This surname was given to the Chilean named Raúl Alejandro Pellegrin Friedmann (1958-1988; nicknamed JoséMiguel).
PellerinFrench From Old French pellerinpelegrin "pilgrim" (from Latin peregrinus "traveler") applied as a nickname for a person who had been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land or to a famous holy site elsewhere... [more]
PellicanoItalian, Sicilian nickname from dialect pelecanòpelicanò "woodpecker" from modern Greek pelekanos "green woodpecker" (cognate with pelekan "pelican"; both come from pelekys "axe" the pelican because its beak is shaped like an axe the woodpecker because it uses its beak like an axe).
PenningEnglish, Dutch, Low German From early Middle English penning, Low German penning, and Middle Dutch penninc, all meaning "penny". It was used as a topographic surname from the name of a field, or a nickname referring to tax dues of one penny.
PercyEnglish Either a nickname from Old French percehaie "pierce hedge" (Old French percer "to pierce, penetrate" and haie "hedge, fence"), perhaps with the sense of someone breaking into an enclosure... [more]
PerdikisGreek A surname derived from the Greek word "πέρδικα", meaning partridge or grouse. It appeared first time in the Byzantine Empire during the 11th century.
PerdueEnglish, Irish, French English and Irish from Old French par Dieu ‘by God’, which was adopted in Middle English in a variety of more or less heavily altered forms. The surname represents a nickname from a favorite oath... [more]
PereireBreton (Latinized, Archaic) This surname is the Gallic (Gaulish) origin and it means wild pear tree. There are also similar spellig in the Iberian Peninsula such as Pereiro, Pereyro, Pereiros, Perero and Pereros. These surnames (last names) correspond to families of the Celtiberian culture.
PereiriCeltic (Latinized, Archaic) Pereiri or Pereiro is a Galician surname in the north of Spain. It's a last name belonging to ancient Celtic tribes.
PereseGascon Meaning the pear tree. It have a second meaning that is Son of Peter and it's a surname of the Christian inspiration. In Catalonia there is a derivative that is Parés (Variations: Pares, Parès, Parè and Pare).
PernaItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly from the dialectic word perna "leg", denoting someone with a deformed or missing leg, or a variant of Perla.
PerpichEnglish (American) Americanized spelling of Croatian and Serbian Prpić. Prporuše was a term denoting young girls who, in the dry season, would visit houses in the village and pray for rain.
PerronSpanish Spanish (Perrón) : probably from an augmentative of perro 'dog'.
PershinmRussian From Russian перший (pershiy), meaning "first". Probably denoted to a first born child.
PersiaItalian, Spanish Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Persia (modern-day Iran) or some other country with Persian-speaking peoples or a nickname for someone who had visited or traded with one of these countries (see the given name Persis)... [more]
PeršinCroatian, Serbian From Croatian peršin meaning "parsley," likely referring to a grower or seller.
PervakUkrainian, Russian Derived either from Russian первый (pervy) meaning "first" or directly from colloquial Ukrainian первак (pervak) meaning "firstborn".
PesadoSpanish From Spanish meaning "heavy, weighty". It was likely given to individuals who were physically large or strong or as a reference to a heavy burden or responsibility.
PeskaCzech From a pet form of the personal name Pešek
PestanaPortuguese Nickname for a person with prominent eyelashes, from Portuguese pestana "eyelash".
PetitjeanFrench Nickname for a small or little man, or ironically a large or tall man, derived from Old French petit meaning "small, little" combined with the given name Jean 1... [more]
PetitoItalian, Judeo-Italian Nickname for a small person, derived from a dialectal word ultimately from French petit meaning "small, little".
PettiferEnglish Nickname for a good infantryman, an old soldier who had lost a foot, or a person who was never tired of walking, derived from Old French pedefer, pied de fer meaning "iron foot".
PfautzGerman It was originally given as a nickname for a chubby person.
PfefferGerman, Jewish Occupational name for a spicer, or a nickname for a person with a fiery temper, for a small man, or for a dark-haired person. Derived from German Pfeffer "pepper".
PfeilGerman From Middle High German pfil ‘arrow’ (from Latin pilum ‘spike’, ‘javelin’), either a metonymic occupational name for an arrowsmith or possibly a nickname for a tall thin man.
PflaumGerman, Jewish metonymic occupational name or possibly a nickname from Middle High German pflūme, German pflaume "plum", as a Jewish name it is artificial... [more]
PhenixFrench (Quebec, Anglicized) Either (i) an anglicization of French Canadian Phénix, literally "phoenix", probably originally a nickname of now lost import; or (ii) a different form of Fenwick.
PhilippartBelgian In the Medieval period, of Ancient Greek origin, derives from philippos, a compound made of philein meaning "to love", and hippos, a horse, hence "lover of horses".
PhonekeoLao From Lao ພອນ (phone) meaning "blessing" and ແກ້ວ (keo) meaning "jewel, gem".
PhonesavanhLao From Lao ພອນ (phone) meaning "blessing" and ສະຫວັນ (savanh) meaning "heaven".
PhonevilayLao From Lao ພອນ (phone) meaning "blessing" and ວິໄລ (vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".
PiChinese, Korean From Chinese 皮 (pí) meaning "skin, hide, leather".
PicaItalian, Catalan Nickname for a gossipy or garrulous person, from the central-southern Italian word pica ‘magpie’. Compare Picazo.Catalan: habitational name from any of the numerous places called Pica.Catalan: from either pica ‘pointed object’ (weapon, etc.) or a derivative of picar ‘to prick’.
PickettEnglish Of Norman origin, from the personal name Pic, here with the diminutive suffixes et or ot, and recorded as Picot, Pigot and Piket. The name is ultimately of Germanic derivation, from pic meaning "sharp" or "pointed", which was a common element in names meaning for instance, residence near a "pointed hill", use of a particular sharp or pointed tool or weapon, or a nickname for a tall, thin person.
PiénoelFrench (Rare) French surname that possibly refers to the buckled shoes that the original bearer was wearing, in which case it is derived from Old French pié meaning "foot" combined with Old French noiel meaning "buckle"... [more]
PierahudBelarusian Derived from Belarusian перагуд (pierahud) meaning "prolonged rumble". This may have been a nickname for a gossip.
PiggEnglish Derived from Middle English pigge meaning "young hog".
PikachuBrazilian From Japanese ピカチュウ (Pikachuu), derived from the onomatopoeic words ピカピカ (pikapika), a sparkly sound, and チュウチュウ (chuuchuu), a mouse sound. It happens to be a nickname for someone with a short stature who runs super fast according to the famous barrier Yago Pikachu (born Glaybson Yago Souza Lisboa) a Brazilian footballer who plays for Fortaleza.
PikkEstonian Pikk is an Estonian surname meaning "long" and "tall".
PikrammenosGreek From Greek πικρός (pikrós) meaning "bitter, acrid, embittered". A famous bearer is the Greek judge and politician Panagiotis Pikrammenos (1945-), who was Deputy Prime Minister of Greece... [more]
PinchEnglish Nickname for a chirpy person, from Middle English pinch, pink ‘(chaf)finch’. Compare Finch. possibly a metonymic occupational name from Middle English pinche ‘pleated fabric’, from Middle English pinche(n) ‘to pinch (pastry)’, ‘to pleat (fabric)’, ‘to crimp (hair, etc.)’, also ‘to cavil’, ‘to be niggardly’.
PinchesEnglish (British, Rare) This is one of the very earliest of surnames. This is an English name. First recorded in the 12th century it was a nickname of endearment for a bright, chirpy, person, thought by his peer group to be active like a finch... [more]
PincockEnglish It is believed to be a variant of the surname Pink, which itself can have several origins, including being a nickname for someone with pink cheeks or a rosy complexion, or an occupational name for a dyer or someone who worked with pigment dyes.
PineEnglish Originally denoted a person who lived near a pine forest or who sold pine firs for a living.
PingolPampangan From Pampangan pi'ngul meaning "ear lobe (particularly the part pierced for earrings)".
PinkEnglish, German Nickname, possibly for a small person, from Middle English pink penkg ‘minnow’ (Old English pinc).English (southeastern): variant of Pinch .Variant spelling of German Pinck, an indirect occupational name for a blacksmith, an onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of hammering which was perceived as pink(e)pank... [more]
PipoloItalian Possibly derived from a Latin word meaning "nothing, insignificant; a thing without value", perhaps a nickname for an unimportant or disliked person. Alternatively, it could be from a pet form of the given name Pippo, a diminutive of Filippo.
PiriPersian Derived from Persian پیر (pir) meaning "old, aged".
PirzadehPersian Means "born of the pir", from the Persian title پیر (pir) denoting a Sufi spiritual guide (literally meaning "elder, old"). This name was traditionally used by owners or custodians of Sufi mausoleums and shrines.
PiscopoItalian, Neapolitan Means "bishop" in Neapolitan, ultimately derived from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) "overseer, supervisor, bishop" or "watcher, guardian"... [more]
PişkinTurkish Means "brazen, bold-faced" or "mature, hardened" in Turkish.
PisulaPolish, Lithuanian Informal nickname for a scribe or clerk, from a derivative of Polish pisać ‘to write’.
PiusEstonian Pius is an Estonian surname meaning "pious".
PivecCzech Nickname for a drinker, from pivo meaning ‘beer’.
PizzutoItalian Italian surname derived from a nickname meaning ‘malicious’.
PlantagenetMedieval English, Medieval French Borne by the House of Plantagenet, a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. It also originated as a nickname for Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (1113-1151), father of King Henry II of England (1133-1189), who ascended the English throne in 1154... [more]
PlataSpanish Means "silver" in Spanish. Plata could be a habitational name from places in Toledo and Cáceres provinces named Plata, or various places named La Plata.
PlatteFrench From Old French plat, meaning "flat."
PlayfairEnglish From a medieval nickname for an enthusiastic competitor in sports and games (from Middle English pleyfere "companion in play, playmate"), or else a different form of Playford (from a Suffolk place-name meaning "ford where sports are held")... [more]
PletikosaCroatian Derived from pletiti, meaning "to knit", and kosa, meaning "hair".
PletikosićCroatian Derived from pletiti, meaning "to knit", and kosa, meaning "hair".
PlumEnglish, German From Old Germanic *plūmā "plum", used as a topographic name for someone who lived by a plum tree, a metonymic occupational name for someone who grew or sold plums, or perhaps a nickname referring to a plum-coloured birthmark.
PobanzGerman Nickname for a braggart or bogeyman, of uncertain Slavic origin.
PobedonostsevmRussian Derived from Russian победоносный (pobedonósnyj) meaning "victorious, triumphant". Konstantin Pobedonostsev (1827-1907) was a Russian jurist and statesman who served as an adviser to three Russian emperors.
PobjoyEnglish From a medieval nickname for someone thought to resemble a parrot, from Middle English papejai, popinjay "parrot". This probably denoted someone who was talkative or who dressed in bright colours, although it may have described a person who excelled at the medieval sport of pole archery, i.e. shooting at a wooden parrot on a pole.
PoeEnglish From a medieval nickname for a vain or flamboyantly dressed person (from Old Norse pá "peacock"). American author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was a famous bearer.
PoloskinRussian Derived from полоска (poloska), a diminutive of полоса (polosa) meaning "stripe, strip, streak". This may have been a nickname for a tall and thin person.
PolovetsUkrainian From Ukrainian половець (polovets), meaning "a Polovtsian (Cuman, Kipchak)". Polovtsians are an old ethnic group from Central Asia.
PolskiPolish, Jewish Nickname for a Polish person, originating in areas of mixed populations.
PosthumusDutch, Low German From a personal name which was given to a posthumous child, i.e., one born after the death of his father, derived from Latin postumus "last, last-born" (superlative of posterus "coming after, subsequent") via Late Latin posthumus, which was altered by association with Latin humare "to bury", suggesting death (i.e., thought to consist of post "after" and humus "grave", hence "after death"); the one born after the father's death obviously being the last.
PostmaWest Frisian, Dutch West Frisian variant of the Dutch and North German surname Posthumus, given to a child born after their father’s death. It could also be a variant of the habitational name Post or an occupational name for a mailman or guard, using the Frisian suffix -ma.
PreobrazhenskymRussian Derived from Russian преображение (preobrazenije) meaning "transformation, transfiguration", referring to the Transfiguration of Jesus. A famous bearer of the name was Russian revolutionary Yevgeni Preobrazhensky (1886-1937).
PressEnglish, Jewish A nickname for a pious individual from the Middle English form of "priest" or possibly someone employed by a priest. In the Jewish sense, one whose occupation was to iron clothes.
PretoPortuguese comes from the Portuguese word preto meaning "black" or "dark". referring to someone with dark skin and/or hair. possibly a cognate of the spanish surname Prieto
PrewettEnglish The surname Prewett is derived from the Middle English word prou, meaning "brave," or "valiant," with the addition of either of two common diminutive suffixes: -et or -ot. As such, this name is thought to have originally been a nickname for someone small but brave.
PreziosoItalian Means "precious, valuable" in Italian, derived from a nickname or from a medieval given name (masculine form of Preziosa).
PrieskornGerman Possibly either a derisive nickname for a grain merchant from pries a variant of Middle High German brüsch or Middle Low German bross "brittle crumbly" and korn "grain" or alternatively for a grain seller from prisekorn "(I) determine the price of grain".
PrieurFrench from prieur Old French prior "prior" a monastic official immediately subordinate to an abbot (from Latin prior "superior") hence an occupational name for a servant of a prior or an ironic nickname... [more]
PrigozhinmRussian From Russian пригожий (prigozhiy), meaning "beautiful, pretty". Prigozhin was the last name of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner PMC until 2023 when he died in a plane crash... [more]
PriiEstonian Prii is an Estonian surname meaning "free".